Liquid discharging control



o. w. HOSKING 2,838,765

LIQUID DISCHARGING CONTROL June 17, 1958 I 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed 12,1955 l'xll ll t INVENTOR.

' UdX ZCiy WHOS/(iqf ATTORNEYS June 1 58 o. w. HOSKING LIQUIDDISCHARGING CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 12, 1955 m m@ 5 T N wk wW@ W H wA W a MW 0 6 6 0 vwfiw m 2,838,765 LIQUID DISCHARGING CONTROLOakley W. Hosking, Monroe, N. Y., assiguor to Hosking PatentCorporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationAugust 12, 1955, Serial No. 528,001

15 Claims. (Cl. 4-41 This invention relates to a dispensing device forliquids in which a predetermined volume of liquid is discharged from atank and then an equal amount of liquid from a source is permitted toenter the tank to be stored for the next discharging cycle.

An object of the invention is to provide a device dispensing apredetermined amount of liquid stored within a tank which is positive inoperation and is independent of any mechanical resetting mechanisms.

A further object of this invention is to provide a dispensing device ofthe above type which is connectible to the source of liquid underpressure for dispensing a predetermined amount thereof through adischarge valve in which the discharge valve is hydraulically operatedand maintained both in its open and closed positions by the pressure ofthe liquid from the source in order to positively eliminate any leakagewhen the valve is closed, and trouble and faulty operation duringmovements of the valve. g

An additional object of this invention is to provide a dispensingapparatus having a tank in which the tank is always filled with a volumeof liquid equal to that discharged, and in which the amount dischargedmay be positively and easily adjusted.

Still yet an object of this invention in its most specificness, is toprovide a manually operable mechanism having a hydraulically controlleddischarge valve which is interchangeable with the usually mechanicallycontrolled valve of the conventional water closet used with a toiletbowl without alteration of the water closet tank and which is economicalto manufacture, automatic in operation and positively prevents leakagethrough the discharge valve,

7 Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more hereinafter described and claimed. Though theautomatic liquid dispensing device is illustrated as being positionedwithin a water closet, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to being used solely with a water closet but may be used withother tanks and in other installations where it is desired to dispensean accurate volume of liquid. Furthermore, though the liquid is setforth as being water, in the specific embodiment described my inventionis not to be limited to being used solely with water but that otherfluids having the physical characteristics of a liquid may be usedtherewith.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which Figure l is aplan view of a tank in which tion is disposed.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. l, partly in section, showing theparts as positioned when the tank has stored therein a predeterminedamount of liquid.

Fig. 3 is a cross'section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1 showing detailsof the manually operable multiple spool valve.

my inven- United States Patent Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on theline 44 of Fig. 1 showing details of the water level control valve, andFig. 5 is a view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4 illustrating details ofthe water level control valve effectuating mechanism.

The volumetric liquid dispensing apparatus of my invention is indicatedgenerally by the reference numeral 10. Though the apparatus is shown asbeing incorporated in a water closet, it is obvious that it may be usedin other devices where it is desired to store a predetermined volume ofa liquid and then to dispense the same by gravity. b

A tank 11, which may be made of metal, plastic, etc. but, in thespecific embodiment described is a somewhat conventional water closetmade of vitreous china, has an opening 12a in which there is positioneda conduit 12 which is adapted to be connected with a source of liquidunder pressure (not shown) such as Water. There is also provided anaperture 13a containing a discharge or outlet pipe 13 which may beconnectible with a toilet bowl (not shown) to be flushed. Positionedwithin the tank there are three operating valves, a manually operablemultiple spool valve 14, a liquid level control valve 15 and a dischargevalve 16, all hydraulically interconnected for controlling theadmitting, storing and discharging of a predetermined amount of aliquid.

As shown in Fig. 3, the manually operable multiple spool valve 14 has aplunger 17a on which are positioned spaced O-ring washers 18a, 18b, 18cand 18d (reading respectively from right to left). This plunger 17aoperates in the casing 17 having a cylindrical bore 17b. On

the right-hand end of the plunger 17:: is secured an operating knob 19which is located outside the tank 11 and is operable to initiate thecycle. There are provided, leading into the cylindrical bore of thecasing 17, a liquid inlet conduit 20, an upper discharge valve conduit21, a lower discharge valve conduit 22, a spool valve leakage ventconduit 23, a spool valve operating conduit 24, a vent for the upperdischarge valve conduit 25 and a vent for the lower discharge valveconduit 26. The vents 25 and 26 relieve into the tank while the vent 23emits into the overflow drain 35.

In Fig. 3 the parts are positioned ready for discharging the liquid inthe tank. As shown, the liquid inlet conduit 20 is connected to theupper discharge valve conduit 21 by the cylindrical chamber formed bythe difference in diameters between the bore 17b and the plunger 17a,and the O-ring washers 18b and 13c prevent passage of the liquid fromconduit 29 to the other openings. Upon movement of the plunger 17a tothe left to the in position, the liquid inlet conduit 20 would beconnected to the lower discharge valve conduit 22 and again O-ringwashers 13b and would prevent passage of the liquid through the otheropenings. In the in position the upper discharge valve conduit 21 isconnected with its vent 25 between O-ring washers 18b and 13a and thewasher 18c blocks off passage between the lower conduit 22 and its vent26. It should be noted that at all times the pressure of the liquidflowing through the liquid inlet'conduit 20 is that of the source lessthe small line loss in the liquid level control valve 15.

The discharge valve 16 as shown in Fig. 2 has a cylinder 27 providedwith a bore in which is positioned a piston 28 attached to a connectingrod 29. On the top portion of the cylinder 27 is an opening 30 connectedwith the upper discharge valve conduit 21 and on the lower portion oropposite end of the cylinder 27 is an opening 31 connected with thelower discharge valve conduit 22. 'On the other end of the connectingrod 29 remote from the piston 28 a removably mounted resilient valvedisk 32 is secured. This valve disk presses against l 3' a seat 33formed on an end of the tubular discharge conduit 34 to close off thesame to liquid passage. An overflow drain 35 is connected through apassageway 36 to the discharge conduit 34. The discharge conduit insidethe tank adjacent the seat 33 is provided with a flange 37 whichpositions frame member 38 carrying the cylinder 27 by means of spacers39.

It will be apparent that water pressure exerted through the conduit 21then through the opening 30 will force the piston 28 and the disk 32down against the seat 33 to close off the discharge opening. Conversely,water pressure from the lower discharge valve conduit 22 through theopening 31 will force the piston 28 upwardly and open the dischargevalve.

In Fig. 4 is shown a cross section of the liquid level control valve.This valve is formed in two parts, the main operating valve plunger 40and the effectuating mechanism 57, a view of the latter being also shownin Fig. 5. The casing 50 has a cylindrical chamber 46a in which theplunger 46 is located. The main valve plunger 40 has spaced O-ringwashers carried thereby and indicated as 41a, 41b and 410, from right toleft, respectively. This plunger 46 has a hollow bore 42 in which areprovided a plurality of apertures 43, a plurality of apertures 44 and atthe right-hand end a reduced diameter aperture 45 axially aligned withthe bore. Peripheral grooves 46 and 47, radially aligned with theapertures 43 and 44 respectively, reduce the length of these aperturesand also increase the tubular chamber formed about the piston in orderto permit a larger fiow of liquid. The end of the plunger in which islocated the reduced diameter aperture 45 has an enlarged piston 48operating in a cylinder 49 integral with the casing 50.

The casing 50 has an opening 51 extending into the cylindrical chamber40a and attached thereto is the conduit 12, which is adapted to beconnected to a source of liquid under pressure. Adjacent the opening 51to the right thereof is another similar opening 52 connected to thecloset filling tube 53. As shown in Fig. 2, this tube 53 extendsdownwardly with its open end spaced from the bottom of the tank in orderto prevent splashing of the liquid and noise when the tank is filling bydischarging beneath the surface of the liquid stored in the tank. Theseis also provided on the left-hand end (Fig. 4) of the casing 50 an'axially aligned opening 54 which is connected with the liquid inletconduit 2!). l'nterconnecting with the tube 53 and the cylinder 49 is abore 55 for venting the cylinder 49.

With the plunger in the position shown in Fig. 4, in which no liquid isflowing into the tank 11, the source of liquid in the conduit 12 isconnected with the liquid inlet conduit 20 through the opening 51, thegroove 46, apertures 43, bore 42 and opening 54. Liquid may also flowfrom the conduit 12 through the bore 42 to the reduced diameter aperture45 and into the cylinder 49. The O-ring washer 41a prevents flow to thecloset filling tube 53 from the bore 42. With the valve plunger 40positioned to the right, that is, with the enlarged piston 48 proximateto the right-hand end of the cylinder 49, liquid can flow from thesource conduit 12, through the opening 51, groove 46, apertures 43, bore42 and through the apertures 44, groove 47 into the tube 53 to fill thetank. The periphery of the plunger 40 adjacent the groove 46 is beveledas at 46a to facilitate the flow of the liquid. The device for effectingmovement of the plunger 40 is located to the right of the cylinder 49and is hydraulically connected therewith.

The effectuating mechanism 57 for the plunger 40 is hydraulicallyconnected to the cylinder 49 through a passageway 56. This mechanism hasa spindle 58 operable in an internal cylindrical cavity 59. The upperend portion 60 of the spindle 58 is threaded and has adjustablypositioned thereon upper and lower effectuating plunger control members.61 and .62 respectively, the members being complementally threaded. Foroperating the spindle 58, the casing 50 has an upwardly projectingintegral arm 63 which is connected to the lever 64 by a pivot 66. Thelever 64 has a bifurcated end portion 65 through which the pivot 66transversely passes for permitting movement of the lever 64. Thethreaded end portion 60 is straddled by the bifurcated end portion 65.The outer end of the lever remote from the pivot carries the float ball67. For accurately operating the plunger 58, the bifurcated end portion65 has cam surfaces 68, integral with the lower edges of each bifurcatedend portion, cooperable with an arcuate surface on the top of the lowereflectuating plunger control member 62, while the top portion of thebifurcated end portion 65 is arcuately curved as at 69 for cooperationwith a conversely curved portion of the upper effectuating plungercontrol member 61.

Since the control members 61, 62 are threaded onto the portion 60 theyare adjustably positioned thereon and with the camming surfaces 68 and69 provide a lost motion connection between the float ball 67 and thespindle 58. The distance between the members 61 and 62 is greater thanthe distance between the camming surface 68 and the arcuately curvedsurface 69. The spindle 58 is only moved when the float is substantiallyat the upper and lower water levels. By adjustment of members 61 and 62,on the threaded end portion 60 of the spindle 58, the upperand lowerwater levels can be changed at will and consequently the amount ofliquid discharged per cycle.

The spindle 58 has spaced O-ring washers 70a, 70b and 70c, the washer700 being positioned near the threaded end portion 60 (Fig. 5), and thewasher 700 being positioned the more remote therefrom and adjacent theother end portion of the spindle 58. The spindle 58 has an enlargedlower end 71 which abuts the lower end of the casing 78 for providing apositive stop therefor. The spindle 58 operates in the bore 59 formed inthe casing 78. The spindle 58 has an axial bore 72 and upper and lowerdiametric bores 73 and 74 between which the O-ring washer 700 islocated. The end of the bore 72 is closed with a plug 75 and serves as apassageway between the two diametric bores. An enlarging groove 76 isformed in the bore 59 and facilitates the flow of fluid through theopening 77 formed in the casing 78 to the spool valve operating conduit24 which is in engagement with the opening 77.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, when the closet is full, the surface 69 ofthe lever 64 abuts the upper control member 61 and locates the spindle58 in its up position. In this position no liquid can fiow from thecylinder 49 through the passageway 56 by reason of the O-rings 70b and70a blocking an exit. Upon the tank emptying the cam surface 68 of thelever 64 abuts the control member 62 and forces the spindle 58 downward.In this down position with the O-ring 70b located below the groove 76the cylinder 49 through the passageway 56 is connected by the enlarginggroove 76 to the passageway 77 and thusly to the spool valve operatingconduit 24. The O-ring washer 70b blocks ofi passage of any liquid intothe upper diametric bore 73.

The operation of the device is as follows: Manual operation of the knob19 forces the plunger 17a to the left. The liquid located between theO-ring 18d and end of the casing 17 proximate to the conduit 24 is firstemitted through the spool valve leakage vent conduit 23 and after theO-ring 18d blocks this outlet, the rest of the liquid is dischargedthrough the conduit 24, opening 77, groove 76, bore 73, bore 72 and bore74 into the tank. The flow from the bore 74 to the tank is somewhatrestricted by the enlarged end 71 and consequently a greater force isnecessitated on the knob 19 to initiate the cycle. With the plunger 17ato the left the O-ring washer 18b is positioned between the liquid inlet20 and the upper dis charge valve conduit 21, preventing flow through,conduit 21, and connects the inlet 20 to the lower discharge valveconduit 22 for flow therethrough. Liquid will then flow through theopening 31in the cylinder 27 forcing the piston 28 upwardly and openingthe valve 16. The upper portion of the valve is vented through the vent25 via the conduit 21 and the chamber between O-ring washers 18b and18a.

The parts remain in this position with the discharge valve open untilsubstantially the desired amount of liquid is discharged, when thecamming surface 68 operating on the lower effectuating plunger controlmember 62 forces the spindle 58 downwardly. This connects the cylinder49 through passageway 56, groove 76 and spool valve operating conduit 24to the spool valve. In the down position of the spindle 58, the O-ringwasher 70b is located below the groove 76. Upon movement of the enlargedpiston 48 to the right, liquid will flow into the valve 14 via theconduit 24 and will force the plunger 17a and the knob 19 back to theposition shown in Fig. 3 in which the upper discharge valve conduit 21connects the valve 16 to the conduit 20 to force the piston 28downwardly and close the valve 16. The lower discharge valve conduit 22is vented through the vent 26. Any surplus fluid passing through theconduit 24 is discharged through the spool valve leakage vent conduit 23after a predetermined movement of the plunger 17a.

Movement of the piston 48 to the right is caused by the hydraulicpressure (which is the source pressure) in the bore 42 acting on the endof the bore adjacent the reduced diameter aperture 45 creating a forcegreater than that force opposing it and acting on the other side of thepiston 48. This opposing force is the product of the area of the piston48 and the pressure in the cylinder 49. The pressure is minute since thecylinder 48 via the passageway 56, groove 76 and conduit 24 only has tobe sufficient to overcome the inertia of the plunger 17a and the energyneeded to move it to the position shown in vFig. 3. After suflicientmovement of the plunger 17a to allow communication between the conduit24 and the leakage vent conduit 23, there is substantially no opposingpressure.

With the piston 48 at the right-hand end of the cylinder 49, the tankfilling tube 53 is connected to the source conduit 12 via groove 46,aperture '43, bore 42, aperture 44, groove47 and opening 52. This valvewill remain in this position until the liquid in the tank approaches thedesired level which then forces thefloat ball 67 upwardly and thearcuate surface 69 abuts the upper effectuating plunger control member61 to move the spindle 58 upwardly. Upon upward movement of the spindle58 passage of liquid through the passageway 56 is prevented by theO-ring 70b being positioned above the groove 76, and liquid from thebore 42 will pass through the reduced diameter aperture 45 into thecylinder 49. This liquid creates a force moving the piston 48 to theleft. The liquid located in the cylinder on the left-hand side of thepiston is vented through the vent 55 to relieve any pressure opposingthe leftward movement. Completion of the movement of the piston 48positions the parts again as shown in Fig. 4.

The upper and lower bores 73 and 74 interconnected by axial bore 72 tocircumvent the O-ring washer 700 are provided for the dual purpose ofventing the conduit 24 when the O-ring washer 18d blocks ofi passagebetween the conduit 24 and the spool valve leakage vent conduit 23.

The tank 11 in the specific embodiment described is the conventionalwater closet with which mechanically operated discharge devices aregenerally used. My hydraulically operated discharging mechanism isinterchangeable with the usual mechanical devices without any changes oralterations in the water closet.

It is to be further noted that my liquid discharging control mechanismwill store the same amount of liquid even with a considerablefluctuation and variation in the source pressure. The minimum amount ofpressure necessary is that needed to lift the disk 32 off the seat 33which is only opposed by the negligible force created by the height ofwater in the tank acting on the top surface of the disk 32. This sourcepressure is also sufficient to actuate the liquid level control valve.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claimsand portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. A dispensing mechanism for discharging by gravity a predeterminedvolume of a liquid comprising a tank for storing the liquid, a conduitfor connecting the tank to a source of liquid under pressure and havingan inlet valve associated therewith, a discharge valve operable topermit flow of the liquid from the tank, and hydraulic means operativelyconnected to the inlet and discharge valves which, upon actuation,hydraulically opens said discharge valve while maintaining said inletvalve closed to permit discharge of a predetermined amount of liquidfrom the tank, then closes said discharge valve and opens said inletvalve to permit an amount of liquid substantially equal to the amountdischarged to enter said tank and maintains. said discharge valve closedby utilizing the pressure of the source.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the means for actuatingthe discharge valve includes a piston operable in a cylinder havingopenings on each end connectible to the source of liquid under pressureto provide hydraulic force for positively actuating the valve and.

maintaining'it at both'opened and closed positions.

3. A dispensing mechanism for discharging by gravity a predeterminedvolume of a liquid comprising a tank for storing the liquid, a conduitfor connecting the tank to a source of liquid under pressure and havingan inlet valve associated therewith, a discharge valve operable topermit flow of the liquid from the tank, and means operatively connectedto the inlet and discharge valves which, upon actuation, automaticallyopens said discharge valve while maintaining said inlet valve closed topermit discharge of a predetermined amount of liquid from the tank, thencloses 7 said discharge valve and opens said inlet valve to permit 5.The invention as defined in claim 4 in which the effectuating means isactuated by a float and adjustable connections are provided between saidfloat and effectuating means for permitting adjustment of saidettectuating mechanism for actuation at predetermined levels of liquidin the tank.

6. A dispensing mechanism for discharging by gravity a predeterminedvolume of a liquid comprising a tank for storing the liquid, a conduitfor connecting the tank to a source of liquid under pressure and havingan inlet valve associated therewith, a discharge valve having a pistonmovable in a double acting cylinder and operable to permit flow of theliquid from the tank, and means including a manually operable multiplevalve interconnecting said source conduit and said double actingcylinder which upon manual actuation of said multiple valveautomatically opens said discharge valve while maintaining said inletvalve closed to permit discharge of a predetermined amount of liquidfrom the tank, then closes said discharge valve and opens said inletvalve to permit an amount of liquid substantially equal to the amountdis charged to enter said tank.

7. A flushing apparatus comprising a tank having an inlet conduitconnectible with a source of water under pressure and an outlet, aninlet valve, an outlet valve, and hydraulic means including a pressureoperated movable element interconnecting said valves for opening andclosing said discharge valve and synchronously maintaining closed andthen opening said inlet valve upon actuation thereof by the pressure'ofthe source to discharge a predetermined amount of water from said tank,and an eflFectuating mechanism for varying the pressure operat ing saidmovable element.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 in which the movable element is apiston operable in a cylinder and the eifectuating mechanism vents oneside of said cylinder to permit movement of said piston.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8 in which the efiectuatin'gmechanism is controlled by a float in said tank and there is provided anadjustable interconnection between said float and efiectuating mechanismto operate same at various liquid levels in the tank.

10. A flushing apparatus comprising a tank having an inlet conduitconnectible with a source of water under pressure and an outlet, aninlet valve, a fluid pressure oper-' ated outlet valve, a manuallyoperated multiple valve connecting said source pressure with saiddischarge valve, and hydraulic means interconnecting said valves which,upon actuation of said multiple valve, opens and then closes saiddischarge valve and synchronously maintains closed and then opens saidinlet valve to discharge a predetermined amount of water from said tank.

11, A water closet for connection to a toilet bowl comprising a tankhaving a source conduit with an inlet valve connectible with a source ofwater under pressure, an outlet valve connectible with the toilet bowland having a piston operable in a cylinder for operating said outletvalve, and means interconnecting one end of the cylinder to said sourceconduit for subjecting one side of the piston to the fluid pressure insaid source conduit to positively maintain said valve in its closedposition, and vent means connected to the other end of the cylinder forproviding substantially less pressure on the other side of the pistonthan the source pressure when the first mentioned side is subjected tothe source pressure.

12. The invention as defined in claim 11 in which in the interconnectingmeans there is provided a movable element which eflFectuates closure ofsaid discharge valve after a predetermined amount of water has beendischarged.

13. The invention as defined in claim 12 in which the movable element isoperated by an effectuating mechanism which has adjustable means thereinfor operating said element at any desired water level.

14. A water closet for connection to a toilet bowl comprising a tankhaving a source conduit with an inlet valve connectible with a source ofwater under pressure, an outlet valve connectible with the toilet bowlhaving a piston operable in a cylinder with opposed ports, and atwo-position multiple valve interconnected between said cylinder andsaid source conduit for in one position connecting said source conduitwith one port of said cylinder and venting the other port, and in theother position connecting said source conduit with said other port andventing said one port to open and close said discharge valve. 7

'15. A dispensing mechanism for permitting discharge of a fluidcomprising a tank having a source conduit connectible with a source offluid under pressure, an outlet in said tank having an outlet valve, apiston operable in a cylinder and connected to the outlet valve tooperate same, means interconnecting one end of said cylinder to saidsource conduit for subjecting one end of the piston to the fluidpressure in said source conduit to positively maintain'said valve in itsclosed position, and vent means connected to the other end of thecylinder for providing substantially less pressure on the other side ofthe piston than the source pressure when the first mentioned side issubjected to the same pressure.

References Cited in the file of this patent

